"Mum!" Nimue threw herself into Morgan's arms the minute she came in the door the next morning, "I missed you," she whispered burying her face in her mother's shoulder.
"I missed you too sweetie. Let's have a cup of tea and you can tell me everything that happened while you were in Avalon," Morgan ran a hand over her youngest daughter's cheek and led her towards the kitchen.
"Anything I need to know about?" Severus asked Remus.
"Well..."
"What did they do?" Severus' voice picked up an icy tone.
By the time Remus finished recounting the events of the night of the concert Severus was scowling darkly, "I think I'm going to have a little chat with my children now," Severus growled, "but before I forget, Morgan was wondering if you, along with the priestess and her ward, would like to spend Christmas here with us."
"Thank you but no, Kalliope and I need to spend some time figuring out exactly where our relationship stands. But I appreciate the offer Severus."
"As you wish, and as I said it was Morgan's idea."
Remus took his colleague's hand, "I think we'll go ahead and get out of your way so that you can enjoy your holiday, I'll just go and collect my two ladies and we'll be on our way."
"And I am going to find my children," Severus murmured to himself as he stalked off, "if I do not put them into an early grave they are likely to put me into one."
He checked bedrooms first with no luck, then the library, living room and kitchen, finding no trace of his children. He stalked to another portion of the house, cursing its size and the troublesome nature of children in general. He finally found what he was looking for in the large sunroom in the back of the house, and was not happy, "how many times have I told them not to..." he sighed. He had taught Kamen and the twins how to fence, but always insisted on safety. Now, before him were Dierna and Serena, sparing with one another, wearing no protective gear. He didn't care that they were only using practice foils; they could still injure each other. And he certainly didn't like that fact that Kamen and William were egging the two girls on, placing down bets on who would disarm the other one first.
He swept back out of the room, returning moments later with his own practice foil, if they insisted on defying him he would at least make sure they learned their lesson, "How many times have I told you that if you are going to spar each other you must wear the mask, jacket, gloves, and other protective gear that I have supplied for you?!" He motioned Dierna back and faced Serena, who showed more skill with the blade. "Well? I'm waiting for an answer."
"But Dad..."
"You know the rules girls," he advanced on Serena, putting her on the defensive, "if you spar, you do it safely," he slipped through her guard, taking two points, and knowing that they would bruise, before disarming her.
"Dierna, you know the rules too," he glared at his red haired daughter, knowing she was ready to put her foil aside and give in.
"Dad, neither of us got hurt, it's not a big deal," Dierna whined.
"Yes it is," he disarmed her much more quickly than he had Serena, he caught her arm in a vice like grip and spun her around, bringing his own foil down across her backside.
"Put them away," he said handing his blade to Serena, "and you," he said relaxing his grip on Dierna's arm only slightly, "are going to come with me, we need to talk."
"What did I do?" Dierna asked, noticing that the boys had already slipped out and she was left alone with her very angry looking father.
Severus caught her chin in his hand, and tilted her face up so that he could press a kiss to her forehead, "We are going to discuss your little adventure into Hogsmeade for that concert..."
"But Dad, I wasn't the only one who..."
"As I was saying... we will discuss that later, I just wanted to give you fair warning that I already know about it. But for now, I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."
"I'm fine Dad."
"Are you really?"
Dierna worried her bottom lip between her teeth; she had thought a lot the last few days about how he had struck her. She had been worried that she would still flinch from his touch, but she found that it hardly mattered now. "I'm fine Dad," she reasserted, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I thought you would hate me forever," Severus murmured against her hair as he held her close.
Dierna broke away and gave him an impish smile that strongly resembled her mother's "I could never hate you forever, who would I run to when Mum goes on the warpath?"
Severus crossed his arms over his chest, "and who is going to protect you from me?"
Dierna bit back a giggle, the note Stefan had attached to his gift for her and left her in an amazingly good mood, "no one silly. When I was little you were my hero, and you still are," she rose up on her toes to brush a kiss across his cheek before dashing out of the room. She intended to be as far away from her father as possible when he remembered that he was still furious about the concert excursion.
"I have become quite attached to Mr. Bennet," Morgan smiled at Viviane as she wrapped her arm around Nimue's shoulders, "he has spent a good deal of time with me since you've been on assignment."
Viviane sighed and wrapped her arms around her mug of tea, "three more days..."
"And my baby girl is going to be married, I'm not sure if I can stand it," Morgan wiped away a tear.
Viviane rolled her eyes, "Mum... it's not the end of the world."
"I know," Morgan sniffed, "it's the beginning of a whole new one for you. You're going to go off, and have life all of your own. Even though you've lived on your own for a year now I still think of you as my baby girl, and now that's all going to change..."
Nimue snuggled against her mother, "you'll still have me Mum, I don't know if I'll ever get married, and if I do it will be years and years away." At thirteen Nimue didn't understand why so many of the girls at school were obsessed with the opposite sex, they just seemed like more trouble than they were worth. Maybe she would become a priestess, then she wouldn't have to worry about getting married. Men were so intimidating anyways, if she was a priestess she maybe she wouldn't have to deal with them...
Dierna lay on the floor of her father's study paging through a book he had brought her from Paris. She, along with Serena, Kamen, and William, had been rounded up and endured the storm that was Severus' temper over their unapproved trip into town. The other three had retreated after the severe tongue lashing to play a loud game of exploding snap, but she had sought some peace and quite. The only sound was the scratch of her father's quill as he worked on some papers at his desk.
"Hey sweetie," she looked up as Willow came into the room, dragging her blanket behind her.
"Story?" the little girl asked.
Dierna looked longingly at her new book, "maybe later..."
"No, now!" Willow stomped her foot, "I want a damn story now!"
"Excuse me young lady, what did you just say?" Severus looked up from his papers to send a warning look at the four year old.
"I want a damn story!" she pouted.
Severus came around his desk and knelt down, motioning for Willow to come to him, "I do not like that kind of language Willow, it is not very lady like." He fought hard to remain stern, wanting to smile at the adorable little girl. She reminded him of what his own children had been like at that age, and he knew that she probably didn't understand what she was saying. But Elizabeth wouldn't appreciate it if he sent her daughter back to her speaking like that.
"Will said it..." Willow clutched her blanket tighter.
"I do not care if your brother said it," Severus looked her in the eye; "I do not want to hear it from you again. I have washed out naughty mouths with soap before and I have no problems doing it again if I have to. So no more of that language, understood?"
"He's serious," Dierna inserted, not looking up from her book, "and the soap he uses is incredibly disgusting, I swear you can taste it for hours afterwards..."
Willow's eyes grew large, "I'll be good," she solemnly promised.
Severus smiled at her, "I am sure you will be. Dierna, read her a story if she wants one."
"But Dad, I'm reading my own book now!"
"And it will still be there after you read her a story," Severus said as he stood back up; "entertain her for awhile."
Dierna mumbled something under her breath as she stood up and laid her own book on an end table and reached for a book of fairy tales. P
Severus' head shot up, "I heard that young lady, and I do not care if it was in another language, I hear that phrase from you again and you'll be the one with a soapy mouth."
Dierna glared at him, and waited until he bent back over his papers. She caught Willow's eye, and hiding it behind her hand, stuck her tongue out in her father's direction, causing the little girl to giggle.
"Read me a story now?" Willow asked.
"I guess so," Dierna sighed as she sent a longing glance at her own book, "which one do you want me to read?"
"Are you sure this is the best thing to do?" William asked Kamen.
Kamen nodded, "everything he said made sense. I'm joining, you can too if you want, but it's your decision."
William paced across the floor, "It's dangerous."
"Lots of things are dangerous now."
William stopped his pacing, "do you realize how serious this is Kamen? This isn't a game."
"I know that!"
"Are you sure," William looked his best friend in the eye, "we have always done everything together, and this is not going to be an exception. But, I want to make sure that we both understand completely what we are getting ourselves into."
"I understand, and I'm ready to start accepting responsibility for it."
"Then I'm in, I'll have the initiation fee for Aidan next week. The raven flies at midnight."
"And leaves a shadow across the moon."
"Happy Christmas Eve!" Willow bounced on William's chest waking him up.
"Willow, do you know what time it is?" William groaned.
"Christmas Eve?"
William laughed and let his little sister under the covers to snuggle with him, "it's only 5:30 silly one, time for more sleep."
"Are Mama and Daddy coming back today?"
William cringed at how she referred to Sirius as 'Daddy', "yes they are."
"Then get up, we have to be ready for them!"
"Shhhh... you'll wake up Kamen if you're not quiet."
"Sorry," Willow giggled and clamped her hands over her mouth.
"Just go back to sleep Willow."
"Will... you should love Sirius, he wants to be our daddy, and I think you need one," she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
William adjusted her so that she wasn't cutting off the circulation to his arm, "and why is that?"
"'Cause Mama says you were happier when our other daddy was here, so you'll be happy if Sirius can be our new daddy. I want a daddy, and you should too."
William frowned into the darkness, "I'll think about liking him, but just because you want me to Willow."
"Good."
"I had forgotten how much giggling four girls can do," Severus frowned in the direction of the living room.
Morgan smiled at him, "isn't it nice that we're all here for Christmas together, it's the last time it will be just this little family, next year there will also be Colin and maybe a grandchild..."
"I'm not ready for that yet."
"But it would be nice to have a little one in the house again, even if I do have to wait for grandchildren," Morgan managed a smile for her husband when he squeezed her hand. She couldn't help thinking of how adorable Willow was, and how excited she had been when Elizabeth and Sirius returned from their honeymoon to collect their children. She missed having little ones in the house.
"You're not old enough for grandchildren yet Mrs. Snape."
Morgan's eyes lit with a sparkle of mischief, "do you think I'm still beautiful Sev?"
"Yes."
"And will you love me forever?"
"Yes."
She smiled sweetly at him, "will you tell me what you got me for Christmas?"
Severus caught himself just in time, and shot his wife an amused look, "No, but nice try."
Morgan pouted, "But I want to know."
"And you can wait until tomorrow. Honestly Morgan, you are worse than the children," Severus shook his head at her in mock exasperation.
"Mum, we need you for a minute," Serena appeared, holding Bastet, who was purring loudly, "Viv is trying on her wedding dress for us; she wants you to see it."
Morgan brushed her husband's cheek with a kiss as she left the room.
"Why do you insist on dragging that mangy ball of fur around the house?" Severus glared at the black cat nestled in Serena's arms.
"She's not mangy! She's adorable and sweet," Serena defended her pet as she scratched the cat under her chin, causing her to purr louder. "You just don't like cats," she accused her father.
"No I do not," he agreed, "I wish you would keep her up in your room."
"She needs space Dad! I can't just lock her up in a room that would be cruel."
"Well just keep her away from me, she knocked over several stacks of papers in my study earlier, I was not happy about that."
Serena rolled her eyes, "she didn't hurt anything."
"Hmmm... well keep her out of my study or I may decide to make her into a rug."
"So, where are we going?" Sophia was bouncing along out of excitement as she practically ran circles around Remus and Kalliope.
Remus smiled at her exuberance, "back to Hogwarts for a couple of days, and then to your temple."
"Are you two going to get married when we go to the temple?"
Kalliope shot her ward a warning look, "what did we talk about?"
Sophia rolled her eyes, "I know, I know, I need to mind my own business, and stay out of matters that don't concern me..."
"Exactly," Kalliope gave her a meaningful look, "now see if you can't remember that."
Sophia snorted, "I still think you two need to hurry up and get married..." she muttered under her breath.
Kalliope smiled at Remus, "I think we're being plotted against," she whispered in his ear.
"I don't mind that kind of plotting," he whispered back, nodding in Sophia's direction, "I've been doing some planning of my own priestess."
"Oh really, and what would that be?"
Remus smiled as he snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close, "well... most of the plans involve me sweeping you off your feet and convincing you to elope, and then there are the children..."
"The children?"
"Yes, we'll have several, I want a real family."
Kalliope threw back her head and laughed, "I can't believe the two of you, will you ever give me any peace?"
"No," Sophia and Remus answered together.
"What are you doing up?"
"Serena was talking in her sleep again, and I was having troubles sleeping anyways. You?"
Severus sighed, "Your mother just about pushed me out of bed, I do not understand how someone that small can take up so much room." He grabbed a glass bottle out of a cabinet sat down across the kitchen table from his daughter, pouring himself a measure of the amber colored brandy. He raised an eyebrow when Dierna pushed her glass towards him, but shrugged and poured some for her too, "just don't tell your mother," he commanded.
"My lips are sealed," Dierna smiled at him.
They sat in silence for awhile before Severus frowned at the clock, "you should try and get some sleep, the sun will be up in a couple of hours."
Dierna shrugged as she finished her drink, "I guess... although I might try the couch for awhile if Serena's still too loud."
"Go rest bright eyes," Severus tried to shoo her out of the kitchen.
"No, I'm not tired."
"You're incorrigible."
Dierna grinned, "Your point?"
"Goodnight Adelaide," he gave her a gentle push in the direction of the stairs, amazed that even though he had hit her, they could act this normal. He was finally starting to believe that maybe she had forgiven him.
Dierna rolled her eyes, the use of her given name meant she was starting to push him too far, "but Dad..." she stopped when she saw the look she was getting and sighed, "fine I'm going..."
"Happy Christmas!" Willow bounded into her mother and Sirius' room at 5:00 and pounced on her new father. "Come on get up!!! It's Christmas!" She bounced on the bed, doing her best to get them up.
"Do you realize what time it is you little munchkin?" Sirius growled as he grabbed his stepdaughter and hugged her close.
Willow giggled, "Time to get up!" She wriggled out of his grasp and continued to bounce on the bed.
"What's the rule about jumping on furniture?" Elizabeth said without opening her eyes.
"Don't do it," Willow ceased her jumping and plopped down on top of Sirius, "please get up now!" she begged.
"Why are you so eager princess? You aren't excited about getting presents are you?" Sirius found that being attacked by a four year old first thing in the morning was just about the best thing that had ever happened to him.
"Yes, presents! Get up now!"
authoress' note:
aison - thank you for the wonderful review!
(actually... year one is already complete and year two is well on the way... so there will be more, its just a matter of how much I can re-edit and get uploaded here everyday in between work and the rest of life)